This invention relates generally to the field of attachment clips and more specifically to clip system for attaching an item to a belt or waistband.
In today's environment, a great number of people, as they engage in daily activity, carry cell phones in close proximity to their bodies. To accommodate this state of affairs, manufacturers have designed and sold a wide variety of cell phone cases and holders. Some holders come equipped with a spring biased clip that can attach to a user's belt or waistband. Others are sewn cases that may include a carrying strap.
One method of clipping to a belt or waistband is found in standard suspender technology, such as that found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,552. The suspender includes clips that have gripping members that can be spread apart during installation onto a waistband and then urged together by pushing down on an external panel causing the gripping members to be forced against one another thereby locking the clip firmly onto the waistband area.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,615 discloses a clip that can attach to a person's waistband that uses suspender clip technology and combines a “U shaped” holder to the bottom of one of the gripping members. The U shaped member can be used to attach other items to the clip. For example, claim 1 reads “said first free end being adapted for accepting an attaching member of a disassociated member.” Although this patent shows one way to use a suspender type clip to hold an item onto a waistband, it is not the ideal way to accomplish this end.